Wednesday, September 7, 2011

First day of a new semester

Hello there everyone, I want to apologize for the rest I took from writing on my blog this summer. I wanted to take a break and I knew that CPE would be very busy so that is the reason for my delay. I am going to try to be better about writing updates so please bear with me.

I am writing this post after the first day of the semester. I was so excited to have an 8:00 am Systematic Theology class then go work for the chapel as a sacristan, then run to meet with my field ed supervisor, then back to the seminary to lead sung evening prayer and then do the bulletin for our upcoming community night. To say it was packed and busy is an understatement, but to be honest I would not change a moment of it.

This year I have a wonderful list of classes, I have Systematic Theology, Preaching, Field Education (internship in a parish), and Greek. I am continuing down the road of seminary and I am so thankful that God gives me each day to be here to study and pray. I am also one of the sacristans for the seminary; I am able to work on helping to set up liturgies for the seminary (this totally feeds my liturgical nerd needs). I know that to many of you this might not seem like a WHOO HOO type of thing but for me I am not only working for the community but I am able to learn about liturgy and the diversity of liturgies that we have in the Episcopal Church. I am also working as an intern at Church of Our Savior in Mill Valley. I have done my first "official" liturgy withe community and I am so excited and feel very lucky to be working with such an energetic community. I will be preaching, working in the parish as they need me and attending various meetings. This time is a sort of Lab time where I am able to try things in ministry in a safe setting, I know from this soon in my time there that I am going to learn a lot!!

I also wanted to give you an update about my CPE experience I had this summer. It was absolutely wonderful! I was able to spend a majority of my time working at a Children's Hospital in St. Paul as well as an "adult" hospital. I was stretched in so many ways. I was able to do the work and find some of my pastoral identity as well as to overcome some of my fears working in a hospital setting. I was challenged also to keep working on myself. I thought that by now I was able to have this all done and over with but I realized that one is never done working on themselves. I was able to be with people during times of great anxiety and it was such a blessing to have people open up the invitation to be with them. There were many tear and frustration but it was totally trumped by laughter and joy. I was also blessed to do my first funeral. It was for a young man and I was given the grace by God to do the service and it was wonderful, for the first time I felt like a priest.

Well sorry for the long post and I honestly need to get some sleep. Thank you so much for all your love and prayers; please know that I am praying you all.

Peace,

Jason B. Lucas